Two great series of Parish Alvars (Scenes of my Youth and Souvenir of Naples) for the first time published together in a new fac-simile edition.
Souvenir of Naples
Serenata op. 83
Il Mandolino op. 84
Il Pappagallo op. 85
Marcia di Portici op. 87
In December 1843-January 1844, Parish Alvars composed these pieces during a holiday in Naples with his family. This time was one of the happiest of his life. These masterpices combine perfectly the research for new effects and thechniques on the harp with easy and brilliant themes. As the Ricordi were published separately they are today never considered as a unit. This is the first edition collecting them. The story is easy to gasp: with Portici (a city near Naples) in the background a frivolous ladies’ man (Il Pappagallo) sings a serenade (Serenata) to a woman with a mandolin (Il mandolino).
Scenes of my Youth or The Pleasures and the Sorrow of an Artist
9 Romances op. 42, 48, 56
Gran Fantasia op. 75
Scenes of my Youth is the most autobiographical work of Parish Alvars. The 9 Romances opp. 42, 48, 56, dedicated to “The Lady of his Heart”, who reveals to be “My wife Melanie” in the Fantasia op. 75, recall Parish Alvars’ youth through a series of mottos. One discovers he had an unhappy love and a happy one, learn about his difficuelties when he was young and his travel. The Scenes of my Youth are collected together for the first time in this edition.